Ucf Scratches Klusman, Clark

April 20, 1989|By Creig Ewing of The Sentinel Staff

Former University of Central Florida coach Torchy Clark and Rollins Coach Tom Klusman, among the top six candidates for the job as UCF basketball coach Monday, have been relegated to last resorts as the search committee decided Wednesday night it may interview only four people.

Birmingham Southern Coach Joe Dean Jr., former Tennessee Coach Don DeVoe, former UCF assistant Rick Duckett and Montevallo Coach Rob Spivery will be interviewed, and the committee would like to name its choice Wednesday afternoon.

UCF Athletic Director Gene McDowell said if none of the four works out, he also will interview former Virginia Tech coach Charles Moir, Clark and Klusman, whom McDowell had asked to apply.

The decision was sudden. The committee had recommended to interview at least six candidates Monday and added Spivery, a late applicant, Wednesday. Then the committee narrowly supported a motion to cut the interviewees to five in order to be able to name a coach sooner.

''I was a little surprised,'' McDowell said. ''However there has been mixed emotions all along on the committee toward Clark. I think probably the overwhelming pressure his friends put on committee members didn't help.''

McDowell said, however, that he feels obligated to keep the two in consideration.

Moir's name was given to McDowell, but he chose not to schedule an interview for him. Moir resigned in 1987 after being named in NCAA violations at Virginia Tech.

Today is the last day to apply, and the committee also must consider any applicants that are comparable with the finalists. Milwaukee Bucks assistant Mack Calvin and Indiana University assistant Joby Wright - who were pursued by the committee - still have not sent in applications, although they told committee members they would.

The four top candidates will begin interviewing today. In the spirit of the open manner of the search, the public may meet the candidates at 11 a.m. at the Wayne Densch Sports Center at UCF or at 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn-UCF.